Kantara screening at UN: Rishab Shetty delivers speech in Geneva

Kannada movie star Rishab Shetty on Thursday delivered a speech at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva. His blockbuster film Kantara was selected for a special screening at the UN to emphasize the importance of protecting the environment. 

In his speech, he said that as an actor and filmmaker, he desired to use art to bring about real-world changes. "Environmental sustainability is the need of the hour. As an actor-director, my aim is to make an impact at the grassroots level. Global agencies and government organizations are at the forefront of the pursuit of environmental sustainability," he said. 

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Rishab also acknowledged the vital roles played by movies in creating awareness about the subject in the country. "The medium of cinema holds a mirror to such environmental consciousness and plays an important role in showing the reality to the world. We are proud that many Indian movies have talked about environmental protection through fictional and real stories and created awareness about it," he added. 

Rishab's Kantara put focus on the challenges faced by tribal people who have been living in India's forests for several generations. "Even in my latest movie Kantara, there are important elements about human life in the lap of nature, local beliefs, and rituals of people," he explained. 

In Kantara, Rishab plays a member of a tribal community who takes on the feudal power structure in independent India to protect the land rights of his people. 

"Kantara movie showed how our connection with the environment, its effect on us, coexistence, and cultural values are interdependent. 

The film explores local environmental protection, the role of government, and the importance of communities in solving environmental problems. 

Movies like Kantara expose reality and inspire people to face environmental challenges and solve problems. They awaken emotions and move people towards environmental protection. I appeal to everyone present that such hard work should be recognized and encouraged," he remarked. 

Besides playing the lead role, Rishab also wrote and directed it. Made a budget of less than Rs 10 crore, the movie went on to collect more than Rs 400 crore from its worldwide ticket sales. 

Kantara screening will take place on Friday in Geneva.